The reality of the “gig economy”. Incessant talk about “Millennials“. Language startups and their hoody culture.

Is there no end to being made feel “old” these days?

As I look around me at those new faces I see at industry conferences and compare it with my Twitter “Following” list, I wonder if I might be “old”? Could I be missing out on emergent trends or not making the right connections – not so much for the future, but for right now? Would I survive in the startup world or the gig economy of today?

Answers: Don’t care. No. No. Dunno.

But, is it just me?

In particular reference to “Millennials, I concur with the notion that age or generational labeling can lead to some pointless stereotypes for sure. More seriously, this failure to recognize the value of older people in any industry is evidence of a lack of diversity and fairness of opportunity. Diversity is about more than race or gender. Everybody loses from a missing “experience”.

I don’t feel old. I can still kick the ass of people half my age. I just enjoy it a lot more now. It’s really not about being physically old but about not contributions that are well past their sell-by-date that is the issue, I guess. As Arnie might say, it’s more about being obsolescent than being old. So, who cares what age you are?

Do you feel old in this industry of ours now? Then again, perhaps you just are…

Comments welcome.